For the second time in roughly a week, a Lawrence senior citizen has been targeted by a daytime purse snatcher.

The most recent robbery happened about 9:40 a.m. Tuesday as a 79-year-old woman was on her way to volunteer at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, 325 Maine. She said she was preoccupied with not slipping on the icy ground when she felt a tug on her shoulder, turned around and saw a man running away with her purse.

“I have never really known what people mean when they say they’ve been violated, but now I know,” the woman said.

The purse contained $302 in currency, keys, her library card, driver’s license and other items, according to a police report. She was not injured.

Witnesses saw a blue-and-gray four-door vehicle driving from the scene, said Sgt. Mike Pattrick, a police spokesman.

On Jan. 26, a similar purse-snatching happened to a 70-year-old woman in the parking lot of Dillons, 3000 W. Sixth St.

Anyone with information about the crimes is asked to call the Crime Stoppers hotline, 843-TIPS. Callers remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.

6News anchor/reporter Janet Reid contributed information to this report.